Fixing the Oak Avenue Garage parking problems
I never realized how people are so attached to the Oak Avenue Garage. That Herald story and my story struck a nerve. People really want their parking back. A friend told me yesterday that she depends on the garage when a hurricane is threatening, she pays a fee to park her car there, up high, but this year, after the sale, the Terra Group did not send her and her neighbors the usual forms to fill out, she is concerned.
Others of course are concerned about daily parking.
I spoke with Art Noriega, CEO of the Miami Parking Authority. He told me that cars were shifted to other areas in order to open up more parking spaces in the Oak Avenue Garage. I noticed yesterday that the "no parking - except for decals" was removed.
I always assumed the construction crew parked next to Regatta Park and in the old Bank lot. I just assumed they would shift the cars from one side to another as they constructed the new buildings. But someone told me that the building site is kind of narrow and to get all that heavy machinery to fit, they need to dig out the bases of the buildings all at once, otherwise if they build on one side, they may not have enough room to fit the equipment in the narrow area, so it's easier and makes more sense to be do one big dig - hence, no room for the workers' cars.
According to the form that Art sent me, regarding the sale of the Oak Avenue Parking Plaza, Terra Group is paying $16 million for the structure. $100,000 is a non-refundable deposit, $300,000 is an initial deposit, $800,000 is the second deposit, post inspection; and $14,800,000 is the balance to be paid in cash at closing.
There are 402 spaces in the five story garage.
Art says that there is new parking coming to the Grove and they are starting on the Regatta Park structure in January, which should take four months, this will have room for 120 cars, but I don't see how that will help the Center Grove.
Grove Bay parking construction will begin in June 2016 and that will take a year to construct, 526 spaces will be added. The Coconut Grove Playhouse garage will start construction in 2017 and have a total of 400 spaces.
But what have you done for me lately?
I'm told that along with the vacated spaces at the Oak Avenue garage, there is parking at Mayfair.
Art also told me that the Coconut Grove Trolley is coming, but it may be awhile longer than expected. I thought it would be November, he tells me later. Ron Nelson, Comm. Sarnoff's chief of staff, told me that four trolleys will be needed to accommodate the Grove. That's $1 million worth of trolleys ($250,000 each). It's more than just money, logistics and permits and whatever else they need has to be done. Let's be glad they aren't tethered to slots in the ground or wires overhead, who knows when they would be ready then.
It's interesting to note that parking is an issue and problem all over the country. I noticed this article online, asking, "Does downtown Ann Arbor need another public parking garage?" So even in Ann Arbor, Michigan, they are grappling with parking garages, too.
Others of course are concerned about daily parking.
I spoke with Art Noriega, CEO of the Miami Parking Authority. He told me that cars were shifted to other areas in order to open up more parking spaces in the Oak Avenue Garage. I noticed yesterday that the "no parking - except for decals" was removed.
I always assumed the construction crew parked next to Regatta Park and in the old Bank lot. I just assumed they would shift the cars from one side to another as they constructed the new buildings. But someone told me that the building site is kind of narrow and to get all that heavy machinery to fit, they need to dig out the bases of the buildings all at once, otherwise if they build on one side, they may not have enough room to fit the equipment in the narrow area, so it's easier and makes more sense to be do one big dig - hence, no room for the workers' cars.
According to the form that Art sent me, regarding the sale of the Oak Avenue Parking Plaza, Terra Group is paying $16 million for the structure. $100,000 is a non-refundable deposit, $300,000 is an initial deposit, $800,000 is the second deposit, post inspection; and $14,800,000 is the balance to be paid in cash at closing.
There are 402 spaces in the five story garage.
Art says that there is new parking coming to the Grove and they are starting on the Regatta Park structure in January, which should take four months, this will have room for 120 cars, but I don't see how that will help the Center Grove.
Grove Bay parking construction will begin in June 2016 and that will take a year to construct, 526 spaces will be added. The Coconut Grove Playhouse garage will start construction in 2017 and have a total of 400 spaces.
But what have you done for me lately?
I'm told that along with the vacated spaces at the Oak Avenue garage, there is parking at Mayfair.
Art also told me that the Coconut Grove Trolley is coming, but it may be awhile longer than expected. I thought it would be November, he tells me later. Ron Nelson, Comm. Sarnoff's chief of staff, told me that four trolleys will be needed to accommodate the Grove. That's $1 million worth of trolleys ($250,000 each). It's more than just money, logistics and permits and whatever else they need has to be done. Let's be glad they aren't tethered to slots in the ground or wires overhead, who knows when they would be ready then.
It's interesting to note that parking is an issue and problem all over the country. I noticed this article online, asking, "Does downtown Ann Arbor need another public parking garage?" So even in Ann Arbor, Michigan, they are grappling with parking garages, too.
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
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7 Comments:
.." four trolleys will be needed to accommodate the Grove. That's $1 million worth of trolleys ($250,000 each). It's more than just money, logistics and permits and whatever else they need has to be done..."
But they had no trouble dishing out 3 times as much, $3 Million, for the exclusive boat owners' Mc Mansion that very few people will be using. No problem with permits either to build that monstrosity right by the water.
Heck, the Thousands that would be using the Grove Trolleys or a renewed Grove Theater can wait another decade.
Coconut Grove does need more parking and trolley service. This is the kind of community information that should be reported by BID, Chamber of Commerce, Village Council and or District 2 Commissioners Office. Thank goodness we have the Coconut Grove Grapevine to do their job for them. Keep up the good work.
The only way to figure out if it is a sweetheart deal is to calculate how much each of the new garages are going to cost to build.
Who cares we have no say in anything anyways
I was wondering if the trolley will cross US 1 on 27th Ave. to accommodate those who like to use the Metrorail there? It's hell trying to cross on foot!
There seems to be plenty of parking around Oak, but not much around Commodore Plaza.
Thank you MPA, for being of service to the Grove.
You sell it NOT to the highest bidder, justify it with a study from 2011 (remember the great recession???) and replace it with a non-existing garage at Regatta Park, that does not help this end of the Grove.
Why the rush? Who's getting what here?? Must be something.... 'cause they are getting the money, and we are getting screwed in the Grove.
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